Thoughts, Ideas, and Concepts by Sandra Parks

Posts tagged ‘network’

So what should you do if you’re credentialed with good experience and advanced education, are looking to become re-employed and are even willing to take a lower-level position? Here are a few tips:

Don’t Be Tempted to “Dumb Down!”

This strategy moves your career backward. You typically end up frustrated, not hired or worse — you find a new job you can’t wait to move out of. Most employers today actually want you working at your highest ability level since productivity is key to everyone’s success. They also want to retain you past the many months it takes to train you for the job, so you can begin to make a contribution to the company.

Do Some Soul Searching and Savvy Preparation.

Acknowledge that employers are reluctant to hire a person who is overqualified because they think the person is unlikely to be happy, won’t stay long, might want the interviewer’s job or may expect fast promotion. Remember that you can be threatening to the interviewer, especially if you are truly suited for the interviewer’s job! He may think you aren’t seriously interested in doing the job for which you’re being hired — nor do employers want someone who’s burned out or sees the job as an easy paycheck.

Examine why you want the position. “I need a job!” is not a response that will endear you to him. You must use your communication skills to convince him why a demotion is a good option. You must create a reasonable explanation. Try this:

“My current position as Regional Sales Manager requires me to cover 14 states, and the job had grown into 15 nights of travel per month. This has become an increasingly difficult sacrifice for my family. I have decided to seek a major accounts-rep position that allows me to focus on my strengths — selling, sustaining top-notch client relationships and up-selling — but also allows me to go home most evenings. This is not an option at my current job. It requires a lot of out-of-town travel to do the job, which I am no longer willing to do. I believe my extensive marketing and sales skills would greatly benefit your organization in a positive way. I see this as a win/win situation for both of us.”

Don’t Show Desperation.

You may feel it, but it will work against your getting hired if you show how frantic you are to get a job. Too often an executive says, “I’ll start at any job just to get my foot in the door.” That won’t work — it’s an outdated strategy. Being willing to take any job often makes the interviewer disqualify you. She needs a competent person to perform the specific job she’s hiring for.

So, you must show not only that you can do it but also that you want
to do it. You can offer some advantages, gained from your experience, such
as: “My ability to solve problems and train others would be a major plus in the position.” Many employers are slow to hire, yet pay well when they select
someone for the position, so patience is essential.

Look Harder for Positions for Which You Are Qualified.

Employers want a good fit and an individual who delivers results. Customize every cover letter you write and tweak your resume to match the
opportunity. Be sure to address the major needs required and demonstrate results you’ve achieved in line with the level requested. A former CEO at a smaller company might only be a midlevel executive at a larger organization, so be clear as to how you’re leveraging past experience and leadership to help a potential employer excel.

Networking Is Key to Hearing About and Landing a New Job.

Ask colleagues, friends, former employees, college alumni, and other contacts for referrals to new people who can help you uncover unadvertised positions. An introduction to a senior executive can open new doors and even create a job when no advertised one was available. Department of Labor statistics reveal that 63 percent of all jobs last year were found through contacts, so network, network, NETWORK!

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of status updates on business and social networking sites that say things like, “Project Manager professional looking for work” or “Looking for work in a tough economy” or “Just received my degree in accounting — looking for work.” While I understand that these job seekers are trying to advertise their candidacy online, I don’t recommend broadcasting this specific message in your status updates. Here’s why:

Blasting this message to your entire network makes you look desperate. You might as well rent a billboard to promote your job search … Yes, I know there are stories about people landing a job this way, but these tactics get old fast. (And by the way, the guy who landed a job by wearing a sandwich board saying he was looking for work is “so 2008.”)

Posting this message makes people in your network uncomfortable. Imagine agreeing to meet someone for coffee and before the coffee is even cool enough to drink you say, “I’m looking for work.” It’s awkward. It places an unrealistic expectation on your contacts to come up with a solution for you. The same thing happens online when you announce that you are looking for work.

Sending this message leaves you little wiggle room for a follow-up message. Think about it. If you are still in a job search next week, what will your status update be? “Still looking for work” isn’t going to cut it.

Status updates on business and social-networking platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn are a way for you to build rapport with a community and deepen the relationship with your contacts. Choose messages that showcase your expertise, share valuable information, give kudos to others or broadcast an exciting endeavor you are working on (even if it is volunteer work). Here are some examples of alternative status updates you might want to adapt for your situation:

For a fundraising executive:

“Volunteering at the American Cancer Society walkathon on Sunday; hope to raise more than $2M.”

For an HR professional:

“Attending a seminar on compensation plans for 2009 and beyond at (share the link)”

For an advertising professional:

“My colleague, John Smith, just landed a major account with a leading luxury goods company. Way to go, John!”

For a CIO:

”Reading an interesting article on new technologies in health care at (share the link)”

For a financial analyst:

“Boning up on study materials for the CFA Level II exam … looks like it’s going to be a long night!”

Create status updates that invite questions and further conversation, not ones that make your network run for cover. Remember, online networking, like face-to-face networking, is a process. Whenever possible, give before you get and you will be surprised how quickly you get something back in return.

Networking is a powerful tool. You’d be amazed at your contact inventory if you use it properly! Did you realize that often times its not what you know but who you know? I know that you have heard that saying before but do you honestly realize the power within that one little statement?

I had a conversation with my Sister this morning, Soror Jahari Soward. The chick is sharp as heck. You can learn more about what it is that she does at http://www.npursuit.net. But at any rate I wanted to stress the importance of real networking. It’s not JUST about what you get from the people that you network with but its about the even exchange of good communication and resources that you give each other.

Your network can be worth value if you use and treat it properly. It can take you to places that you NEVER thought that you could go. It could put you in contact with people that you would have under normal circumstances not even thought about reaching out to. If you are business minded it is very vital that you learn how to network. Its imperative that you build your network on a firm and solid foundation. Have some direction. Know what it is that you want to do and go from there. Of course you will make adjustments along the way but you have to first start.

I appreciate my conversation this morning with my sister. It’s amazing how powerful knowledge truely is. Not only have I began building a powerful network I’ve also become just that much more motivated to go after my dreams.

So if you want to learn more about blogging and/or building your network please don’t hesitate to contact me. I can easily be reached by leaving a contact here on my blog and I promise you that I will get back with you.